The $5.4 Billion Handshake: Inside Georgia's 30-Year Alliance with Israel

ATLANTA, GA – June 19, 2026 – While most stories of state-level economic partnership with Israel are recent phenomena, born of the last decade’s tech boom, a new report pulls back the curtain on a relationship that has been quietly compounding for more than thirty years. The report, titled “Israeli Tech in Georgia 2026” and released by the AI communications firm 5W, paints a picture not of a sudden boom, but of a deep, institutional alliance that has transformed Georgia into one of the most significant hubs for Israeli business activity in the United States, trailing only the giants of California, New York, and Florida.

The headline figures are staggering: over $5.4 billion in cumulative exports from Georgia to Israel since 1996, more than 50 Israeli-affiliated companies operating in the state, and over $615 million in U.S. Foreign Military Financing directed to Georgia firms for contracts with the Israeli Defense Forces. But these numbers, as impressive as they are, don’t tell the whole story. They are the visible outcome of a deliberate, multi-layered architecture built over decades, an infrastructure of government, corporate, and military interests that has proven remarkably resilient. It’s a story of how long-term vision can create an economic corridor that withstands shifting political winds and economic cycles, raising critical questions about what it takes to build a truly durable global partnership.

The Architecture of an Alliance

The foundation of the Georgia-Israel corridor wasn't poured in a single, high-profile deal. It was laid brick by brick, starting in 1992 with the establishment of Conexx, then the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce for the Southeast. For 33 years, Conexx served as the connective tissue for the relationship, reportedly facilitating over $1 billion in transactions during its run. That same year, the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) began, creating a durable link between the state’s law enforcement agencies and their Israeli counterparts—a security partnership that runs parallel to the economic one.

This institutional framework was quickly reinforced by government action. In 1994, the Georgia Department of Economic Development opened a permanent office in Israel, a move that predated similar efforts by most other states by a decade. This long-term presence on the ground, combined with the work of the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast in Atlanta, created a stable and trusted channel for commerce and collaboration.

“Most economic-development reports celebrate inflows. This one celebrates compounding,” Ronn Torossian, founder and chairman of 5W, noted in the press release. “Georgia and Israel have been building together since 1992 — through three administrations, three Israeli governments, and every economic cycle the period covered. The institutional infrastructure they created is what makes the relationship durable.”

This compounding effect is evident in the trade data. While the 5W report cites $374 million in manufacturing exports in 2024 and a #10 ranking among U.S. states, other recent data from early 2024 placed Georgia even higher, at 8th, with total goods exports nearing $333 million in 2022. The exact figures fluctuate, but the trajectory is one of sustained growth, built on a foundation far more stable than a simple trade agreement.

Corporate Gateways and Tech Pipelines

If government and non-profit alliances built the foundation, Georgia’s corporate titans paved the highways. The report identifies a “corporate gateway” built around Atlanta-based giants like Coca-Cola, Southern Company, and Delta, which have served as powerful magnets for Israeli technology and talent.

Coca-Cola’s “The Bridge” accelerator, launched in Tel Aviv in 2014 with an Atlanta connection, became a vital pipeline, actively scouting Israeli startups in fields like supply chain logistics, marketing, and wellness to solve the global conglomerate’s complex business challenges. This wasn’t passive investment; it was an active integration of Israeli innovation into the core of one of America’s most iconic brands.

Similarly, Southern Company’s 2018 research and development memorandum with the Israel Innovation Authority created a formal partnership to fund projects in critical infrastructure sectors. The collaboration targets everything from vehicle automation and sustainable energy to smart home technology and public safety, fostering direct technology transfer and creating what one insider called “a shared brain trust for grid modernization.” The utility’s work with Israeli software firm mPrest is a prime example of this synergy in action.

This ecosystem has made Atlanta an unexpectedly attractive destination. The 2016 decision by Itamar Medical, an Israeli medical device company, to relocate its U.S. headquarters from the life-sciences powerhouse of Boston to Atlanta sent a clear signal. The choice underscored that Georgia offered not just a lower cost of business, but a uniquely supportive and integrated network that could rival even the most established industry hubs.

The Unseen Corridor: Defense and Intelligence

Beneath the public-facing layers of corporate partnerships and trade missions lies the relationship’s most discreet and strategic pillar: a defense and intelligence corridor anchored by Robins Air Force Base. This aspect of the alliance, while generating less fanfare, is arguably one of its most critical components. The 5W report’s claim that over $615 million in U.S. Foreign Military Financing has flowed to Georgia-based firms for Israeli defense contracts since 1996 points to a substantial, if opaque, revenue stream for the state’s defense sector.

While verifying cumulative military financing figures over such a long period is notoriously difficult through public records alone, the strategic alignment is undeniable. The research highlights an active intelligence-sharing partnership with Israel that directly supports the burgeoning cybersecurity hub in Augusta. This collaboration on digital defense is a modern extension of the security ties that began with the GILEE program three decades ago.

The report names a generation of Atlanta-based contractors like GE Intelligence Platforms, Northrop Grumman Support Services, and HP as part of this corridor. Though the specifics of their contracts are often not publicized, their presence points to a deep integration of Georgia’s industrial base with Israeli military and security needs. It’s a dimension of the partnership that speaks less to economic opportunity and more to shared geopolitical objectives, cementing the state’s role in the broader U.S.-Israel strategic alliance.

A New Generation: The Future with GIBA

After 33 years, the mantle of leadership has been passed. In 2025, the Conexx alliance gave way to a new entity: the Georgia Israel Business Alliance (GIBA). Its launch signals not an end, but an evolution, a deliberate handoff to a new generation of leaders tasked with building on the three-decade legacy. Incubated by the Zalik Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Atlanta tech entrepreneur David Zalik, GIBA is positioned to infuse the corridor with new energy and a perspective shaped by the modern innovation economy.

GIBA’s mission is to deepen the economic and technological partnerships, acting as the central node connecting companies, investors, and innovators across both geographies. The transition represents a strategic bet that the institutional knowledge and trust built over thirty years can be leveraged to accelerate growth in an era of AI, cybersecurity, and advanced manufacturing. As Torossian stated, “The launch of the Georgia Israel Business Alliance in 2025 is the next thirty years opening.” For Georgia and Israel, the compounding continues.